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A delegation comprised of the general secretaries of the Arab political parties in the Knesset in Israel, political activists and academics traveled to South Africa to participate in an intensive two-week course on fighting Apartheid, which will take place from 6-19 October 2008. The course will consist of lectures and workshops led by prominent South African political leaders and academics. The course aims to share the experience of South Africa in fighting Apartheid and the struggle of the African National Congress (ANC) for equality for black citizens of the state and the country’s transformation to a democratic state.
The delegation began its activities on 6 October 2008 in Soweto, adjacent to Johannesburg, at which they visited the memorial commemorating the killings of 600 people during the student demonstrations that took place in the city in 1976 against the Apartheid regime. The delegation then visited a museum documenting the history of Apartheid, which has been named after Hector Pieterson, the first child to be killed in the events of 1976, and spoke with community leaders and activists.
A highlight of the course on 7 October 2008 was a lecture given by the South African minister for arts and culture, Mr. Pallo Jordan. He presented to the group on the long history of European colonialism in South Africa and the founding of the country’s national liberation movement against colonialism. Minister Jordan is an important leader in the ANC and has held many posts, including director of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
The visit was initiated by Adalah and the HSRC in coordination with the South African government and the Chairperson of the High Follow-up Committee for Arab Citizens in Israel, Mr. Shawqi Khatib.
This visit is the third to have been organized by Adalah and the HSRC. The first visit consisted of a delegation of the victims' families of October 2000 and representatives from Adalah and the High Follow-up Committee. It aimed to strengthen international advocacy around the October 2000 killings and to internationalize the demand for the establishment of an impartial investigatory committee that could uncover facts and lead to the punishment of those responsible. The second visit was undertaken by a delegation of representatives from Arab political parties in the Knesset, the High Follow-up Committee and Adalah with the goal of learning about constitution-making from the South African experience. These two visits both attracted a large amount of press coverage in South Africa and in Israel.
The current delegation is comprised of Mr. Awad Abd al-Fattah, the Secretary General of the National Democratic Assembly (NDA), Mr. Ayman Odeh, the Secretary General of the the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (al-Jabha), Attorney Osama al-Sa’di, the Secretary General of the Arab Movement for Change Party, Mr. Ibrahim Hijazi of the Islamic Movement, Mr. Yousef Sawa’ed of the Arab Democratic Party, Ms. Aida Touma-Suleiman of al-Jabha, Ms. Einas Hajj from the NDA, Ms. Tamam Badeer of the Islamic Movement, and from Adalah Dr. Khaled Abu Asbeh, Dr. Amal Jamal, Dr. Thabet Abu Ras and Adalah Attorney Orna Kohn.
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